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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A09999	The saints daily exercise A treatise concerning the whole dutie of prayer. Delivered in fiue sermons vpon I Thess. 5.17. By the late faithfull and worthy minister of Iesus Christ, Iohn Preston, Dr. in Divinity, chaplaine in ordinary to his Maiesty, Master of Emmanuel Colledge in Cambridge, and sometimes preacher of Lincolnes Inne.	Preston, John, 1587-1628.; Sibbes, Richard, 1577-1635.; Davenport, John, 1597-1670.	1629 (1629)	STC 20251; ESTC S105990	87,396	182

not this saith hee if you know the will of the Lord and doe it not your iudgement shall be greater so I say if any doe not practise this and it is a thing we are exceeding ready to forget or wee are ready to doe it in a for●…ll and in a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but to doe it in good 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ought to doe it therein commonly wee come short you know how great a sinne it was in the olde law to offer without a Priest in the 17 of Leviticus it is said there if any man brought his sacrifice though it were the best sacrifice and the choise yet saith the text ●…f he did not bring it to the priest and to the Altar but ●…ay his sacrifice else where without a Priest such a man was guilty of blood and was to be cut off from his people that is hee was to be cut off by the Priest by excommunication and after by the civill Magistrate You know it was Vzziahs fault to offer incense when it was proper to the Priest to doe it the same sinne wee commit when wee come to the Lord and thinke because wee haue repented and prayed fervently because wee thinke our hearts and spirits are in a good disposition because wee know no sinne of which wee are conscious for this cause wee thinke that wee shall bee heard It is true the Lord requires these quallifications in the partie when hee prayes but take heede of thinking to bee heard for this this is to offer without a Priest You must come thus to the Lord and say vnto him Lord I confesse notwithstanding all this I am vnvnworthy I haue nothing in mee why thou shouldest regard mee it cannot bee that either I or my prayer should be acceptable but I beseech thee take them at the hands of Christ our High Priest hee that is entred into the vaile he that takes the prayers of the Saints and mingles them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 when a 〈◊〉 can really doe this wit●… dependance vpon Christ and come boldly in his name that is to offer a sacrifice to him and this we must carefully remember and therefore we see an excellent expression of this in Levit. 5. where this is made cleare to you that it is not any excellency in the person not any fervencie in the prayer not any purenesse or holinesse that is found in him nothing that come●… from man that causeth his prayer to to be acceptable but it is th●… priest in that place from verse 〈◊〉 to the 11. you shall finde there the law was that he that came to sacrifice must bring a sheepe or a she goate but if he were not so rich as to doe so he was able enough to bring two ●…tle doues if yet he were not able to doe that thē saith the text hee shall bring the tenth part of an Epha of fine flowre a very small thing and saith he let him giue this to the priest and he shall make an attonement for him and his sin shall be forgiven Whence I obserue this that it is not the goodnesse of the sacrifice the price nor the 〈◊〉 nor the excellency of that when they came with a thousand ●…ammes ●…nd so many sheepe and bullocks as you reade of many great sacrifices that were offered by the Kings yet the tenth part of an Epha of fine flower which was exceeding little this prevailed fully as much it shewes evidently that it is not in the sacrifice but the poorest and the 〈◊〉 and the meanest sacrifice will prev●… with God as well as the richest and the greatest What is the reason for saith he it is the priest that must offer it he makes it acceptable so in this case let the sacrifice bee never so meane yet if it be Christ that offers the sacrifice if it be commended to the priest and he offers it the Lord will accept it You shall finde that rule Levit. 5. 11. He that brings a sacrifice this caution was given he must put no incense 〈◊〉 it neither oyle But should the sacrifice be offered without incense no you shall finde in Levit 16. that alwayes the priest when hee entred into the holie of holies hee burnt incense that the cloud of that incense might cover the Mercy seat the meaning is this that when any man comes to offer a prayer to the Lord he can put no incense to it the priest onely hee must put in incense that is Iesus Christ only must offer the sacrifice wherein the Lord smells a savour of rest for the Lord expresseth himselfe in this manner as if he were disquieted for sinne and can take no rest now when Iesus Christ offers a sacrifice hee smells a savour of rest because it comes from him in whom he is well pleased so I say wee must be carefull t●…at wee remember wee come in the name of Christ. But you will say every man doth so and how shall we know it You shall know it by this if you haue boldnesse and confidence that is an argument that you looke not vpon your selues but vpon Christ. When a man i●… so exce●…ding ti●…erous and doubting and fearefull that 〈◊〉 dares not come to the throne of grace or if hee doe yet hee makes a great question whether he shall be heard or no this is too much looking to himselfe here the high priest is forgotten If thou come in his name there is enough to carry th●t out it will breede boldnesse in thee it will breede confidence if thou come in the name of Christ and offer vp thy prayers through him it will cause thee in every petition thou puttest vp to thinke thy selfe so much beholding to Christ that thou wilt be ready to say in thy heart whensoever any petition is granted thee I may thanke Iesus Christ for this When a man I say shall bee so much put vpon his score it will make him so much indebted to the Lord Iesus for his sinne that is remitted and this petition that he hath granted that his heart shall be more inlarged to thankfulnesse when he is able to consider the benefit of redemption and is ready to say with himselfe if Iesus Christ had not died if I had not had such an high Priest that hath entred into the very heavens as the Apostle saith Hebr. 9. 1● make intercession for mee I had lost this benefit I had never come to haue put vp a prayer to the Lord or if I had it should not haue beene heard But you will say to mee if wee be heard for Christ then though a man be sinful and though hee haue none of the precedent conditions though he haue not that holinesse that is required if the Priest make him acceptable why may he not hope as well as the most holy man I answer briefly though the Priest giue all acceptance to the sacrifice and our prayers are accepted through him yet that is not all there are two things besides

THE SAINTS DAILY EXERCISE A Treatise concerning the whole dutie of prayer Delivered In fiue Sermons vpon 1 Thess. 5. 17. By the late faithfull and worthy Minister of Iesus Christ IOHN PRESTON Dr. in Divinity Chaplaine in ordinary to his Maiesty Master of Emmanuel Colledge in Cambridge and sometimes Preacher of Lincolnes Inne IAMES 5. 16. The effectuall fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much PSAL. 66. 18. If I regard iniquity in my heart the Lord will not heare my prayer LONDON Printed by W. I. and are to bee sold by Nicholas Bourne at the South Entrance of the Royall Exchange 1629. TO THE READER Courteous Reader TO discourse largely of the necessity and vse of this peece of spirituall armour after so many learned and vsefull Treatises vpon this subiect may seeme super fluous especially considering that there is much spoken to this purpose for thy satisfaction in the insuing Treatise wherein besides the vnfolding of the nature of this dutie which is the Saints daily exercise and strong inforcement to it there is an endeavour to giue satisfaction in the most incident cases want of clearing whereof is vsually an hindrance to the chearefull and ready performance thereof In all which what hath beene done by this Reverend and worthy man we had rather should appeare in the Treatise it selfe to thy indifferent iudgement then to bee much in setting downe our owne opinion This we doubt not of that by reason of the spirituall and convincing manner of handling this Argument it will winne acceptance with many especially considering that it is of that nature wherein though much haue beene spoken yet much more may be said with good relish to those that haue anie spirituall sense for it is the most spirituall action wherein wee haue nearer communion with God then in anie other holie performance and whereby it pleaseth God to conveigh all good to vs to the performance whereof Christians finde most backwardnesse and indisposedness and from thence most deiection of spirit which also in these times is most necessarie wherein unlesse wee fetch helpe from heaven this way wee see the Church and Cause of God like to be trampled vnder feete Onelie remember that we let these Sermons passe forth as they were delivered by himselfe in publicke without taking that libertie of adding or detracting which perhaps some would haue thought meete for wee thought it best that his owne meaning should be expressed in his owne words and manner especially considering there is little which perhaps may seeme superfluous ●o some but may by Gods blessing be vsefull to others It would be a good prevention of manie inconveniences in this kinde if able men would bee perswaded to publish their owne works in their life time yet wee thinke it a good service to the Church when that defect is supplied by giving some life to those things which otherwise would haue died of themselues The blessing of these labours of his we commend vnto God the benefit of them vnto thee resting Thine in our Lord Iesus Christ RICHARD SIEES IOHN DAVENPORT THE SAINTS DAYLY EXERCISE THE FIRST SERMON 1. THES 5. 17. Pray continually THe Apostle here in the latter end of this Epistle heape●… vp many precepts together and therefore we shall not need to seeke out the dependance of these words vpon those that go before or those that follow after Reioyce evermore ●…aith he Pray 〈◊〉 in all things gi●… thankes for this is the will of God in Christ Iesus to you wards Wee are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 this Text 〈◊〉 this duty of of prayer 〈◊〉 co●… ended to vs and it is a commend from God himselfe delivered 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to be with our any great premises and reasons and indeed having therefore the more authority in it Pray Continually IN the handling of which we will do these three things First we will shew you what Prayer is Secondly why the Lord requires this at our hands for a man might obiect The Lord knowes my wants well enough he knowes my mind and how I am affected I but yet the Lord will haue vs to pray and to aske before hee will bestow it upon vs. And lastly what it is to pray continually For the first If we should define prayer in generall to you I would giue you no more but this description of it It is an expression of the mind to the Lord Sometimes by words sometimes without words but yet there must 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and some opening of the will to him I 〈◊〉 is the generall But now to know what a rig●… 〈◊〉 is what such a prayer is as God accepts 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 haue another 〈◊〉 which must haue 〈◊〉 ingredient●… into 〈◊〉 and so Prayer is nothing else but an 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ●…ering of th●…se holy ●…d good dispositions to God that ●…rise 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 spirit 〈◊〉 the ●…generate part in the 〈◊〉 of 〈◊〉 Christ Where you are to obserue this That the prayers that wee make a●…e divided into one of these two sorts First Some are such prayers 〈◊〉 are the expression of our owne spirits the voice of our owne spirits and there i●… nothing but flesh in them such prayers as any naturall m●…n may make to the Lord. And these the Lord regards not hee knowes not the meaning of them that is he do●…h not accept them Secondly There are prayers that are the voice of Gods own Spirit that is such as arise from the regenerate part which is within vs which is quickened and inlarged to pray from the immediate helpe of the holy Ghost These prayers are onely accepted And of these it is said he knowes the meaning of the Spirit That is hee so knowes it and sees it that also he accepts it Therefore you shall see in Hosea 7. 14. when they prayed and prayed earnestly yea they set a day a part for prayer they called a solemne Assembly And kept a fast yet saith the Lord plainly yee did not call vpon me when you howled vpon your bedd●… for saith he you assembled your selues for corne and for mine which any naturall man may doe And therefore saith he ●…t is but a ●…wling It is the voice of beasts to seeke for wine and oile and 〈◊〉 but he saith plainely you called not vpon ●…e when notwithstanding they spent a whole day in prayer But the meaning is that the Lord regard●… this as no prayer a●… all And therefore ●…o open a little this description vnto you for it is one 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 wee haue to doe in the handling of this Text to describe to you the meaning of this precept what the nature of prayer is that you may know what kind of prayer it is that prevailes with God I say it is an expre●… of holy and good 〈◊〉 I vse that expression rather of dispositions then desores because the●…e is some part of prayer that stands in thanksgiving when you desire nothing at Gods hands but giue thanks

readinesse to heare thee if thou finde they bee sincere and heartie mingled with holie desires and not with carnall and corrupt affections then let the baite lie still that is continue to praie and to vvaite and the Lord vvill come in due time But this is not all though that bee one thing when thou art not heard consider if thou hast not praied amisse it is a common fault amongst vs when we succeede not in anie thing we attribute it to many other things but not to our remisnesse and carelesnesse in seeking to God if a man want sleepe if he finde sicknesse and weaknesse and distemper of body he thinkes that he hath eaten amisse and considers not whether he hath prayed amisse if a man haue miscarried in his businesse he begins to thinke whether hee haue not beene improvident whether he hath not dealt foolishly whether hee hath not omitted such and such meanes as hee might haue vsed hee neuer thinkes whether he haue prayed amisse and that indeede is the cause of our miscarrying and not commonly the thing which we attribute it vnto for though God be not the immediat cause you know hee is the great cause There is no ill that he hath notdone and that which moues him is alway grace and sinne that which moues him to doe vs good is our obedience to him that which moues him on the contrary is neglect on our part But to answere further suppose thy prayers bee right yet thou must consider this that when thou thinkest thou art not heard thou art oft times deceiued and therefore you must rectifie that misconceit As for example sometimes when we would haue the thing in one fashion God bestowes the same thing vpon vs in another and therefore thou maist be deceiued in that it may be a 〈◊〉 prayes earnestly that he may haue a strong ●…dy to do God service withall it may be that sicknesse of body makes him doe him better service because it keepes him in more awe it weanes him more from the world and makes him more heauenly minded you know the case of Paul hee would faine haue had that lust taken away that is spoken of 2 Cor. 12. 9. and why surely the thing hee would haue had was to haue his heart in a holy and right frame of grace now though Paul had it not that way that hee looked for it yet he had it another way the Lord increased in him the grace of humility by it hee saw his owne weaknesse and the power of Christ the more and when this was discovered vnto him hee was content It is all one whether a man bee preserved from the blow of an enemie or haue a helmet given him to keepe it off it may be a man prayes for money and for estate if God provide meate and drinke and cloathes immediately in stead of this is it not all one It may be another would haue a greater degree of conveniencie for his dwelling house and many other things if God giue him a body able to endure that which is more course all is one as if hee were provided for more delicately it is all one whether a phisitian quench the thirst of his patient by giving him beere and drinke that is comfortable vnto him or by giving him barberries or somewhat else that will doe the thing as well It is all one whether the Lord keepe an enemie from doing vs hurt 〈◊〉 ●…at hee giues vs a strong helmet a buckler to keepe off the iniury from wounding of vs●… I might giue you more instances though the Lord give thee not the thing in the verie manner that thou vvouldest haue it yet hee vvill doe it in another manner Secondlie as wee are deceived in the manner so we are deceiued in the meanes oft-times in seeking to God When a man praies he pitcheth vpon such a particular meanes and thinkes verily that this is the way or none it may bee the Lord will finde out another way that thou diddest neuer dreame of Paul prayed to haue a prosperous iourney to Rome hee little thought that when he was bound at Ierusalem and posted vp and downe from one prison to another God was now sending him to Rome yet he sent him and sent him verie safe with a great companie attending vpon him he sent him it may bee in a better manner then hee himselfe would haue gone and yet it was by such a meanes as hee could neuer dreame of also you know 〈◊〉 the A●…rian he had pitched vpon a particular meanes he thought the Prophet would haue surely come forth and haue laied his hands vpon him but to goe and wash in 〈◊〉 he thought his labour al lost and the request which hee made to the Prophet to no purpose for it was a thing that hee never thought of it was a weake and poore meanes that hee made no account of yet that was the meanes that God ●…ded so I say wee o●…t deceiue our selues ●…itch vpon such particular wayes and when these faile vs and when wee haue prayed that these meanes might be vsed and God doth not vse them we thinke presently we are deceived Ioseph thought verily Pharaohs steward should haue beene the meanes to bring the promise to passe and after that Pharaohs butler he vsed as a meanes hee desired him to remember him yet all this was not the meanes but another which he never thought of which was a dreame of Pharaohs the like was in the ●…se of Mordecai deliverance came a strange way a way that Mordecai never imagined Abraham thought verily that Ismael had beene the sonne of the promise but God tells him he was deceived Isaac was the sonne in whom hee would make good the promise So the Israelites thought that Moses should haue delivered them that it should haue beene presently true that the yoake of bondage should haue presently beene taken off from them but we see God went another way to worke he sent Moses away into a farre Countrey and the bondage was exceedingly increased vpon them So that they thought they were further off now then ever they were before but in truth they were nearer for the increase of the bondage increased Pharaohs sinne and made him ripe for destruction againe it increased the peoples humility it made them to pray harder and to cry more servently to God for deliverance and so it made them more fit for it and at the last Moses was more fitted to be a deliverer after hee was so long trained vp and was so much humbled so that when God seemes to goe a cleane contrary way yet it is the next way to bring it to passe 〈◊〉 it is a common thing with vs we pitch vpon a certaine particular meanes we thing such a man must doe it or such a course must doe it when the Lord intends nothing lesse And the reason often is because if we should haue deliverance many times by such meanes by such men

they are vttered carelesly Answ. 2. God grants our prayers oft times yet First not in that manner as vve desire 2 Cor 12. 9. Simile Simile 2. Not by those meanes which we prop●…d Simile Thirdly or not in our time Simile Note Note 3. Ans. Obiect Ans. Simile Rev 2 10. Foure Reasons of Gods deserring to grant our requests 2 3 4 Simile Concerning the measure if God giue vs not so much as wee aske A lesse measure may serue as well as a greater Cleared in instances 1. Wealth Psal 〈◊〉 16. 2. Instance in Grace Reu 3 8. Note Note in what sense this is to be taken Rev 3. 3 Instance in gifts Simile Simile 4 Instance in crosses and afflictions Simile Heb 5. 7. Dangers by omitting or neglecting prayer 1 2 3 4 5 6 Benefit of frequency and diligence in prayer A stock will be laid vp Simile Simile Case 1 About wandring thoughts in prayer Ans. 1 The cause of them is weaknesse Simile Simile Simile 2. Temptation 3. Negligence 4. Voluntary admitting vaine thoughts Simile Hovv to prevent wandring thoughts in p●…ayer Simile Case 2 About indisposednesse and dulnesse and vnap●…nesse to prayer Answ. 1. Obiect Answ. Simile Simile Note Obiect Answ. 2. Causes of dulnesse 1. Desertion 2. When there is some neglect on our part Case 3. About praying after a man hath committed some gross●… sinne Ans. In this case prayer is not to be neglected Note 2. Reas. Simile Reas. 3. Quest. Ans. Heb 3 12. Simile Obiect Answ. Case 4. About a set forme of prayer Answ. Obiect Answ. 1. Answ. 2. Answ. 3. Quest. Answ. Publick prayer not sufficient Simile 1. Reas. 2. Reas. 3. Reas. 4. Reas. 1 Sam. 1. ●…eas 5. Case 5. About vsing the voice and about the ge●…ture in secret prayer Ans. Note Iohn 4. 24. Case 6 About want of leisure to pray by reason of present businesses to bee speedily dispatched Answ. Note Cautions about shortnes of prayer in such straits 1 Caution 2 Caution 3 Caution 4 Caution 5 Caution Case 7 About vse of the meanes Answ. Reasons why meanes must be vsed 1 2. Reas. Simile 3. Reas. 4. Reas. Cautions about the vse of meanes 1 Caution 2 Caution Simile Simile Simile Simile 3 Caution Simile Case 8 About praying in faith when a man wants a particular promise that the thing which he asketh shall be granted Answ. Obiect What faith is required Ans. Case 9. About a man●… knowledge that his prayer is heard Ans. Rom 8. 27. Note Qualifications or conditions required inthat praier that shal be accepted 1 Condition That the person be right Iames 5 16 Simile Psal 4 3 〈◊〉 Tim. 〈◊〉 8. Mat 5. 23. 24 2 Requisite or condition is faith Iames 1. 5 6 Simile Why the Lord requireth faith in prayer 1 2 Iames 1 6. Atwofold faith required in our prayers Psal 146. 5. 6. M●…t 7. 7 How saith may be strengthened in prayer From Gods Attributes Which are of two sorts 1 Absolute 1 Iustice 2 M●…y 3 Glory 4. Power 2 Chron 14. 11 2 Chron. 10. 12 5. Vnchangeable●…esse Psal. 22. 4. 6. Faithfulnesse How we may know that we pray in faith 2 Simile 3 3. Condition required in prayer is fervencie Iames 5. 16. Simile Obiect Answ. When a man is said to be ser vent 1 Mat 〈◊〉 2 Gen 〈◊〉 Cautio●… about fervency 1 That it bee a fruit of faith Simile 2 Caution That it be mingled with sincerity Note Rom. 12. ●…1 4. Condition required in prayer is humilitie lames 4. 2 Chron 7. 14. Isa 66. 2. Reasons why humility is required in prayer 1 Gen. 32. 10. 1 Sa●… 7. 2 Acts 2. 22. Mat. 22. Note 3 Psal. 51. 4. Luke 18. Ezck. 36. 31. Deut. 8. 11. 5. Condition required in prayer is to sanctifie the Lord in our hearts 1 Tim. 2. 〈◊〉 Quest. Answ. Holines what Simile Heb. 10. Ans. 2. Meanes of clensing a mans selfe 1 2 1 Cor. 6. 9. Heb. 10. 22. Obiect Ans What is i●… to haue a pure heart Simile Obiect Answ. Difference between the godly and others in falling into sinne Quest. Answ. Note Simile Simile 6. Condition required in prayer is Thankfulnesse Phil. 4. 6. Simile 7. Condition required in prayer is to come in the name of the Lord Iesus Christ. Iam 4. Levit 17. Levit 5. 11. Levit. 5. 11. Levit. 16. 12 13 Obiect Answ. Heb 9. Obiect Ans.